After FRANXX
by SCP-5009
Summary: After the final showdown between Strelitzia and VIRM, Hiro awakens to a destroyed FRANXX and the love of his life in critical condition. An explosion wont end Zero Two and her Darlings adventure.
1. Prologue

Prologue

Her darling

* * *

"Da-ling…"

Those words were what had jolted Hiro awake. As he slowly sat up, he saw Her laying beside him. He thought, no, he knew, that they had died in the explosion. He remembered those thousand years of going through space with Her. He remembered waking up so vividly!

He was under that cherry tree

That pink haired girl.

The only person he needed.

Her.

Hiro hoped that he would finally be able to fulfill the promise he made to that little girl all those years ago.

But when he heard that one special word, _Her_ word for _him_, it sliced through his consciousness, and it cleared his mind of its haze.

He remembered it all. Strelitzia, and thus Zero Two, had taken the brunt of the explosion. The only parts left of the once majestic FRANXX were the head, chest, and boosters.

Hiro snapped out of his daze when he remembered Her. He looked down at the most beautiful girl he had ever seen, laying beside him. Her.

The same girl he helped run away from the Garden.

The very same girl he had promised to never leave.

He looked upon her broken body, and cried.

"Z… Zero Two…" he sobbed. It hurt him so much to see her like this. She was the most powerful, alluring person Hiro had ever met, and now she laid beside him, suffering.

He knew that her broken body was because of him. He knew that he failed the one thing he held most dear. He didn't realize that tears were dripping down his face until they started landing on his lap.

Hiro pulled Zero Two closer.

He laid his forehead on her cheek

and his tears ran down her face.

* * *

It had been, as far as he could tell, two days. Two days of perpetual guilt, sorrow, and anger. He was alone with his mind, and a mind alone is a dangerous thing indeed.

He wondered why it couldn't of been him who took the brunt of the blast.

He wondered why he wasn't good enough to protect Her.

But above all, he made a vow. He would fulfill his promises, and get her back to earth alive, so that they could finally explore the world.

Together.

* * *

Hiro had bandaged Zero Twos injuries, and yet, she still wouldn't wake up. He feared for the worst, but her chest still rhythmically rose and fell.

"How. How do I keep going on without you? You were the one i promised to never leave. I promised! And now because of my failures you are laying in my arms, dying."

He inched his face closer to hers.

"Please, Zero Two, come back to me."

Hiro pressed his lips against Zero Two's.

Their minds became one, and he felt her joy.

Joy that he was ok.

Joy that they were together.

And the joy of his body next to hers, wrapping her in a warm blanket of protection.

her eyes flashed open. She hugged him tighter and pulled away from the kiss. Their foreheads touched, their horns intertwined, and she finally said

"Da-ling."

The only words Hiro could say were her name. He responded to her cries with a passionate

"Zero Two!"

And before he was pulled tighter into the embrace and smothered by her affection, Zero Two shouted.

"Da-ling!"


	2. Chapter 1

After FRANXX

Chapter 1

The Matters of Hearts and Homes

* * *

Hiro and Zero Two had been entangled for hours. They couldn't tell where one of them ended and the other began.

They were drowning in pure bliss.

Hiro placed his mouth right next to Zero Twos ear, and whispered

"I promise. I will never leave you again. Forever and eternity. I cross my heart, Zero Two."

He felt her body tremble. He saw the tears rolling down her face, and didn't know what he did wrong.

He didn't need to worry though.

"Da-ling, shush. You're ruining the moment. I couldn't be happier right now."

Neither of them thought that moment would ever end, until an alert flashed across the walls of the core.

_**Message from Plantation 13**_

* * *

Plantation 13. The place where their story had started.

The core of the once magnificent city was turned into a hub in the new world. It was a base of operations for science and government only rivaled by the Garden. Mistilen was the birthplace of the farms that now fed the world, and that fact was not forgotten by her former residents.

The remaining plantations, along with the Garden, had been augmented with klaxosuaras technology, so that it could interact with the few remaining klaxon ships still in orbit around earth.

For eight years they had received the expected weather and astrological reports, along with predictions for seasons and wind currents.

But one day, they picked up the signal from a FRANXX.

_The_ FRANXX.

The one that all those former parasites shared such a strong bond with.

Nana recognized it right away.

Strelitzia.

* * *

_**Message from Plantation 13**_

The lovers were surprised.

They were so caught up in their joyous reunion that they had forgotten. They had forgotten about their friends, their family, back on earth.

Hiro sat back in the chair he had spent the past 8 years in, and opened the message.

_Strelitzia, we have received your distress signal. If you're able, set a heading for the attached coordinates and make your way towards them. There will be a ship there waiting for you._

_Nana_

"Zero two, do you want to go home?"

His question took her by surprise, but, deep down, she already knew the answer.

"Home is wherever you are, Da-ling."

* * *

Neither Hiro nor Zero Two thought about how hard it would be to pilot a partially destroyed FRANXX. Its response was sluggish, and the screens around the cockpit screamed warnings at them.

"You ready, Zero Two?'

The anticipation in Hiro's voice was palpable. He was ready to put this adventure to rest, and in turn start a new chapter in his and Zero Twos life together.

"Hai, Da-ling."

Strelitzia shot off through the cosmos, hurtling towards the rendezvous point. Even at near light speeds, it would still take days to reach the ship waiting for them.

For those few days, their minds were once again one.

* * *

Both Zero Two and Hiro expected to be met with a debriefing from Nana and Hachi when they landed in the ships bay, but they did not expect to be met with cheers from their friends and former partners.

The horned couple walked down the stairs, leaning on each other. Their minds might have still been sharp, but atrophy had eaten at their muscles.

"Code 002 and 016, welcome back."

Hachi's voice was as monotone as ever. His emotionless face and monotone voice was a stark contrast from Nana's smile and warm welcomes.

"Zero two, Hiro, I am very glad to see you. To tell both of you the truth, none of use thought either of you were coming back. But onto the important matters, both of you need cellular testing and fortification. None of us know what kinds of things have gone wrong without the proper maintenance required."

* * *

"Interesting."

Hachi normally never spoke up while working on things, so Nana knew that this was something important.

"What is it, Hachi?"

"Those two, Code 002 and 016, their DNA structures don't show any signs of aging. It's almost as if-"

"As if they underwent the same process as us?"

She was confused. The only way for that to be possible was for them to undergo the same treatment as herself and Hachi, but the magma energy required for the procedure made it impossible for it to happen to the couple..

Nana took a look at the results. If her math on ach of their ages was right, their biological ages should both have been around 22, but their tissue samples placed them both as 18 year olds.

But there was another peculiarity.

There were large amounts of 002's DNA intertwined with 016's, and vice versa.

This discovery explained many things about 016's now pronounced Klaxosuar-like features. The large blue horns and sharpened canines, features that 002 also showed, as well as a taller, leaner frame.

But it also meant something for 002 as well. The split, Nana and Hachi found, was just under 1/2 for both of them. One of those things was that, technically, 002 was human.

Her old dream had been fulfilled.

* * *

Even in sleep they reached for each other.

Zero Two and Hiro were put in the same room to save space in the small clinic. Nana knew that they wouldn't mind, and that Zero Two would find her way to Hiros bed either way.

She was right.

Hiro was woken up to Her crying. Zero Two was grabbing at the empty spot beside her. Hiro could barely hear it, but between her sobs, she painfully whispered

"Da-ling…"

Hiro winced as he pulled himself into a sitting position. He put his feet on the floor, and balancing himself on the wall, made his way towards her bed.

He fell. Hard.

But he clawed his way to her.

The only thing going through his head was

"My wings are for you."

He made it.

Hiro grabbed the frame of the cot and pulled himself up. He slowly rested himself down in the open spot she had left, and wrapped his arms around her.

Her sobbing died to a whimper, then was replaced with silence. She curled up into his body and stopped grabbing at the air. The last thing Hiro heard before falling asleep was

"Da-ling."

* * *

When hiro opened his eyes, he was met with the sight of Zero Two staring at his face, smiling.

"You look beautiful when you smile, Zero Two."

Her face flushed red. She did not know how to respond to that. He had called her pretty so many times before, but now that he had called her beautiful, she didn't know how to act. And besides, wasn't it her that made Strelitzia's True Apus form resemble the dress she wanted to wear to their wedding? She didn't know. She wanted to tell him that she wanted to have a wedding like Kokoro and Mitsuru. She wanted to walk with him down the aisle, cheered on by their friends, and yell to the world

"This is my da-ling! You can never take him from me again, no matter how hard you try!"

In a moment a feeling swept over her that she had never felt. A deep, primal feeling. Many people know it as Unconditional Love.

Before she could stop herself, she whispered into Hiro's embrace.

"Da-ling."

"Yes, Zero Two?"

"Da-ling, I want to get married. Like Kokoro and Mitsuru did."

She blushed harder.

When Hiro hugged her tighter, tears started streaming down her face. She never cried.

Unless it was for Him.

Hiro put his hand under her chin and pulled her face up towards his. Before he kissed her, he said

"I do too."


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

The Sweet Parts of Life

_The Jian, also known as "the bird that shares wings," only possesses one wing. Unless a male and female pair lean on each other and act as one, they're incapable of flight. They're imperfect, incomplete creatures._

Every parasite knew the legend of the Jian, but Zero Two and Hiro had used it as the basis of their relationship.

He was Her wings, and She was his. Together, they were the most powerful team in the world.

Their current states didn't show that. Their skin was pale, and the markings around their eyes were extremely dark. But they walked together, and that was all that mattered to them.

It was strange for them to have human needs again, they hadn't noticed that their stomachs were growling until the smells of Futoshis baking started to waft through the small living quarters.

Hiro was about to get up to go and get some food for himself and Zero Two when he heard a knock on the door.

"Come in!" He didn't want to yell, but he did out of habit.

Futoshi cracked the door and smiled when he saw Zero Two curled up beside Hiro.

"I wanted to welcome you both back with some of my signature sweet rolls, I knew Zero Two would like them. I added extra honey though, just in case."

He winked at Hiro and cracked the door open.

Futoshi walked in and handed him a bag of rolls.

"When we get back home, we'll go out for drinks, yea?"

" Yeah Futoshi, and thank you."

Futoshi smiled and walked back out the door, closing it softly behind him. Hiro opened the bag and was hit with an extremely thick, sweet, smell. He knew instantly that Zero Two would love these.

But first, he had an idea.

* * *

Hiro held one of the sweet rolls next to Zero Twos nose. It twitchd a little when she started to sniff it. She opened her eyes and tried to snatch it, but not before Hiro pulled it away. In an agitated voice Zero Two said

"Da-ling, i want it!"

Hiro laughed and replied with

"Say 'ahh.'"

She reluctantly opened her mouth and made the obligatory 'aah' sound, and Hiro fed her a bite of the sweet roll. He took a bite of his own, and then sat back down next to her.

"Futoshi made these ones special for you. He added a lot of honey to make sure you liked it."

She didn't respond, she was too busy stuffing her mouth with the rest of the bag, honey dripping down her face. Hiro smiled at her and laid his head back down.

"Zero Two?" He asked, staring at the ceiling.

"Yesh dah-ling?" She replied through the food in her mouth.

"Do you really want to get married?" He knew it was sudden, but he doubted. He doubted, that she wanted to spend her life with him. He doubted that he was good enough for someone as perfect as her.

Zero Two swallowed and then replied.

"Hai, da-ling. I want a big, white dress and a flower crown! I want the sakura's to be blooming and flowers everywhere. I want it to be perfect, for us."

Hiro blushed.

"Don't worry, Da-ling, I can take care of it. All that I care about is if you're the one there with me."

Us. Hiro hadnt expected that, but it meant so much to him already.

She smiled at him, and his heart melted.

* * *

When the ship landed back on earth, Zero Two and Hiro were surprised by the massive welcoming party on the ground. Out in front was Mitsuru and Kokoro. There was a young girl on Mitsuru's shoulders, and an infant in Kokoros arms. They both smiled at them, ant th girl mitsuru was holding pointed at Zero Two and started excitedly yelling,

"Da-ling! Da-ling!"

A look of confusion passed over Zero Twos face.

"No, no, Ai. That's aunt Zero Two and uncle Hiro."

Mitsuru grinned at Hiro, and held out his hand for him to shake.

"A lot to take in, eh Hiro? Don't worry, I think you'll get used to it."

He winked at him, and then said his goodbyes.

"Bye bye aunt ero twoo, bye bye uncle hirow!"

Hiro squeezed Zero Twos hand tighter, and whispered to her,

"Maybe we could be like that some day."

Her eyes shot wide open. She flashed back to the day where she had met him, where he had said that one day they could be a family.

She stopped walking in the middle of the street. When Hiro felt the slight tug from her hand, he stopped as well. She ran the short distance between them and tackled him to the ground. She was in hysterics, tears streaming down her face, and she whispered right into his ear.

"Da-ling, let's be a family. Please! Just like Mitsuru and Kokoro. I want the bond between them all ,I want to create something bigger than us, da-ling."

He squeezed her back and helped her stand up. She leaned against him as he helped her onto the transport, and laid down on the seat next to him. When they were told that they had arrived at the house prepared for them, he picked her up and carried her across the threshold.

She giggled the whole way to the couch.

The only reason she stopped laughing is because he silenced her with a kiss.

They were finally home.


	4. Chapter 3

After FRANXX

Chapter 3

New Horizons

The faint song of the mornings birds drifted through the air as the wind whispered through the trees.

The schoolchildren gawked as the spark of red and white streaked through the air, the shockwaves from its sonic boom rippling across the fields.

The children cheered as the bright light sparred with the towering monoliths of purple and pink, streaks of light shedding off of their skin.

The FRANXX had finally been recommissioned, and Zero Two and Hiro were the last parasite pair that was still viable. Even after years of not piloting, their connection still reached 100% the second they connected. They were still a perfect couple.

It had been almost three days since they had entered the FRANXX. Every time they defeated one of the new VIRM amalgamations, a new one would pop up hundreds of miles away.

* * *

Hiros body was bruised and battered, and blood dripped down his face. He gritted his teeth as he thrusted Strelizia's spear through the VIRMs head, destroying its receptor. It fell to the ground as two new blips appeared on the HUD.

* * *

Zero Two was concerned. Her and Hiro loves each other so much that they wouldn't allow the other to be hurt in any way, yet here she was, allowing him to take the brunt of the attacks. He didn't let her put her body on the line for them. He put himself between her and the danger in front of her, and she hated herself for letting him do it. She couldn't bare watching her sweet, loving, perfect little darling letting himself be hurt so that she wouldn't have to.

She fell out of sync for the first time in her life. The FRANXX hit the ground, and Hiro unleashed a guttural scream as he forced Strelitzia upright, before falling onto its knees.

She noticed his just barely audible rambling,

"Not again. Not again. I can't lose her. Not again."

She started to cry.

The tears that ran down her face matched the blood that ran down his. She ripped her headpiece off and looked at the screen. He was at nearly 200%. He was destroying himself to save her.

She pulled him out of the chair.

She laid on top of him, her tears staining his uniform as he cracked open his eyelids. She screamed at him.

"WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?! YOU'RE KILLING YOURSELF!"

She couldn't comprehend why. Why would he do this. She loved him just as much as he loved her, couldn't he see? Couldn't he see that him destroying himself was destroying her too?

She slammed her head into his chest and sobbed. She kept repeating his name, her voice muffled by his chest.

His blank eyes stared at the ceiling even when her face was right above his. As she stroked his hair, tears started to form in his striking blue eyes.

She closed her eyes and kissed him.

When she pulled away, he was staring into her eyes with tears streaming down his face.

"I can't let you fight alone again, Zero Two. I promised to never leave you. I will not break that promise."

His voice faded. She wrapped her arms around him, and squeezed him as tightly as she could. He hugged her back.

"Don't worry, Da-ling. We'll be together forever."

* * *

"We're not going out again."

Zero Twos voice was stern as she looked Hachi directly in the eyes. He started to reply.

"Bu-"

"No buts. You're not putting my da-ling in harms way again. He almost died, and you said nothing. We're not going to help you any more."

She pushed past Hachi, walking at a brisk pace and pulled Hiro along behind her.

He tried to get her attention, but she just kept walking. He walked beside her and squeezed her hand.

The people clustered in the gardens hallways parted as they walked past. He suddenly felt self conscious.

They hadn't seen the outside of Strelitzias cockpit for almost a week. Their clothes were torn and bloodied, and their horns were almost a foot long, their almost crystalline quality refracted the sunlight onto the walls around them.

The crowds eyes burned through his already thin parasite uniform as he strode along the love of his life. She slammed opened one of the exterior doors and started walking towards the forest.

He already knew where she was going.

* * *

She shook his hand off and fell into a slumped position against the tree where it had all started.

The mistletoes bright red berries seemed to glow the same color as her horns. The snow around them was pure white, only broken by their trail of footsteps.

He sat next to her and wrapped his arms around her. She slammed her head into his shoulder and sobbed.

Hiro laid his head on top of hers as he started to stroke her back. Her body wracking sobs slowly trickled into hiccups, and finally turned to silence.

She crawled so that she was straddling his waist, and hugged him as tightly as she could. He returned the embrace as they fell asleep in each other's arms.

* * *

When Zero Two woke up, she was in her and Hiros bed. She grasped at his side, trying to find the warmth of his body.

When it was made obvious that he wasn't there, she bolted upright.

She ran into the main section of the apartment, and saw him sitting at the table.

She tackled him out of the chair.

She squeezed his body as tightly as she could. He stroked her hair and spoke in a calming voice as he told her it was ok. When she finally let him get up, he showed her what he had been working on.

The table was covered in old maps of the world, along with a list of currently uncharted sections of the wilderness. Hiros beaming smile was contagious, as Zero Two started to giggle like a schoolgirl.

"You really do remember, da-ling."


End file.
